BENGALURU: A mass exodus of migrant labourers to West Bengal has begun from Bengaluru and Karnataka, and is likely to severely impact the construction sector. The workers are rushing to their home state for the upcoming elections, with voting on April 23 and 29, amid fears of potential loss of welfare benefits.
Their departure follows a political directive attributed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urging migrant workers to return home to cast their votes. Many labourers reportedly fear that abstaining from voting could lead to cancellation of essential entitlements, including ration cards and other welfare schemes.
Industry sources say the migration gained momentum in recent days, with workers leaving in large numbers. The departures come at a sensitive time for Bengaluru’s infrastructure and real estate development, which depend on a steady influx of migrant labour. The construction industry, which relies heavily on skilled labour from West Bengal, particularly for specialized tasks such as tile laying, woodwork and other craftsmanship, is facing significant disruptions. Ongoing projects are already seeing delays.
Suresh Hari, past chairman of CREDAI Bangalore, described the situation as a challenge. “The construction industry is coping with many challenges. First there was the revised guidance rate, then came the labour court issue. Now it is a labour exodus. There is a lot of specialized labour from West Bengal when it comes to tile laying and carpentry, and their departure will lead to a slowdown, till maybe May-end,” he said.
Representatives from related industries are concerned about temporary setbacks. Ravindra Shetty, president of the crusher industry, noted that filtration of voters is going on and these hiccups are not unexpected.
The owner in a crushing unit told TNIE that the impact would be short-lived in most cases. “These labourers will return in two to three weeks, and until then there will be a slowdown. Some industries which exclusively employ Bengali labour may have to shut shop for two or three weeks,” he added. FKCCI president Uma Reddy said, “As a general trend, the labourers go for freebies and also to support their party. This trend is common during state elections.”